Coleus plant named ‘SAKCOL018’

ABSTRACT

A coleus plant particularly distinguished by medium leaves and pink and purple leaves with green margins, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Solenostemon sp.

Variety denomination: ‘SAKCOL018’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of coleus,botanically known as Solenostemon sp., and hereinafter referred to bythe variety name ‘SAKCOL018’.

‘SAKCOL018’ originated from a cross-pollination conducted in October2012 in Kakegawa, Japan in among multiple plants of six unpatentedproprietary coleus lines designated ‘0-8C-3A-1B-5B-11D-3’, ‘12TH-2’,‘12C-3’, ‘12M-4’, ‘12H-5’ and ‘12TL-1’. The cross-pollination wasconducted in a cage using bees. Seven-hundred seeds were harvested fromthe ‘12TH-2’ plants. The seeds harvested from the ‘12TH-2’ plants arecomposed of hybrid seeds and self-pollinated seeds.

The seeds obtained from the ‘12TH-2’ plants were sown and a single plantselection designated ‘L2013-CO015’ was selected for its multi-coloredleaf pattern with a dark brown inner leaf color, green outer leaf color,creeping plant habit, and small leaves. The breeder confirmed that‘L2013-CO015’ was fixed and stable. ‘L2013-CO015’ was subsequently named‘SAKCOL018’.

The new plant was first asexually propagated in 2013 in Japan and hasbeen asexually reproduced by vegetative cuttings for almost three yearsin Japan. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctivecharacteristics through successive asexual propagations by vegetativecuttings.

‘SAKCOL018’ has not been made publicly available or sold more than oneyear prior to the filing date of this application.

SUMMARY OF THE NEW PLANT

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of the new variety when grown under normal horticulturalpractices in Salinas, Calif.

-   -   1. Medium leaves; and    -   2. Pink and purple leaves with green margins.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new coleus plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographswhich show the overall plant habit, and foliage of a plant aged 7 monthsold. The colors are as true as can be reasonably obtained byconventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows the whole plant, including habit and foliage.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the foliage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘SAKCOL018’. The data which defines thesecharacteristics were collected from plants grown 7 months fromtransplant into 4-inch pots from rooted cuttings in Salinas, Calif.,under greenhouse conditions. Color references are to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 4^(th) edition. Anatomic labels arefrom The Cambridge Illustrated Glossary of Botanical Terms, by M. Hickeyand C. King, Cambridge University Press.

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Lamiaceae.        -   Botanical name.—Solenostemon sp.        -   Common name.—Coleus.        -   Denomination.—‘SAKCOL018’.-   Plant:    -   -   Type.—Annual.        -   Habit.—Semi-trailing.        -   Form.—Compact, 2 main branches, 6 secondary branches.        -   Height.—14.0 cm.        -   Spread.—31.0 cm.        -   Propagation type.—Vegetative cuttings.-   Environmental conditions for plant growth: The terminal 1.0 to 1.5    inches of an actively growing stem was excised. The vegetative    cuttings were propagated for five to six weeks. The base of the    cuttings were dipped for 1 to 2 seconds in a 1:9 solution of Dip 'N    Grow (1 solution: 9 water) root inducing solution immediately prior    to sticking into the cell trays. Cuttings were stuck into plastic    cell trays having 98 cells, and containing a moistened peat    moss-based growing medium. The cuttings were misted with water from    overhead for 10 seconds every 30 minutes until sufficient roots were    formed. Rooted cuttings were transplanted and grown in 20 cm    diameter plastic pots in a glass greenhouse located in Salinas,    Calif. Pots contained a peat moss-based growing medium. Soluble    fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 20% potassium    was applied once a day or every other day by overhead irrigation.    Pots were top-dressed with a dry, slow release fertilizer containing    20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 18% potassium. The typical average    air temperature was 24 degrees C.-   Lateral branches:    -   -   Length.—17.0 cm to 18.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—6.0 mm to 8.0 mm.        -   Internode length.—1.3 cm to 2.4 cm.        -   Strength.—Branches separate easily.        -   Aspect.—Large.        -   Shape in cross-section.—Square.        -   Texture.—Very slight pubescent.        -   Pubescence color.—RHS N155A (White).        -   Flowering branch.—Absent.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Length.—4.5 cm.        -   Width.—3.7 cm.        -   Broadest part of the leaf blade.—Middle.        -   Shape.—Cordate.        -   Apex.—Lanceolate.        -   Base.—Cordate.        -   Margin.—Crenate.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Very slight pubescence, soft with            very slight blistering.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Soft with pronounced venation,            glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Reticulate.        -   Vein color, upper surface.—RHS 59A (Red-Purple).        -   Vein color, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 145D            (Yellow-Green).        -   Petiole length.—2.2 cm.        -   Petiole diameter.—2.0 mm.        -   Petiole color.—Closest to RHS 154A (Yellow-Green).        -   Petiole texture.—Very slight pubescent.        -   Variegation.—Present.        -   Leaf color.—Multicolored, bright pink at center, with            blotches of dark green/maroon then bright green towards leaf            margin. Upper surface: Closest to RHS 59C (Red-Purple) with            blotches closest to RHS 200A (Black) with slight RHS 147A            (Yellow-Green) increasing towards margin, and RHS 143A            (Yellow-Green) at leaf margin. Lower surface: Closest to            RHS147B (Yellow-Green) with blotches of 59A (Red-Purple)            towards mid vein with most mature foliage having a blotch            closest to RHS 27A (Orange) at base.-   Reproductive organs: No flowers observed.-   Temperature tolerance: 2 degrees C. to 35 degrees C.-   Disease or insect resistance: No disease or insect resistance    observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘SAKCOL018’ is a new and distinct cultivar of coleus owning to itsunique multicolored leaf pattern and compact and dense semi-creepinghabit. It is distinguished from its parents as described in Table 1below.

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Plant Parental lines Leaf colorhabit ‘0-8C-3A-1B-5B-11D-3’ Inner leaf: rose color; Erect Outer leaf:dark brown with green edge and large leaves. ‘12TH-2’ (female Innerleaf: dark brown; Outer Creeping parent) leaf: green with small leaves.‘12C-3’ Leaf color is yellow-green Creeping with rose colored veins withsmall leaves. ‘12M-4’ Inner leaf: dark brown; Outer Erect leaf: red withlight green edge with wavy leaves ‘12H-5’ Leaf color are shades red withErect a dark green edge and large leaves. ‘12TL-1’ Inner leaf: darkbrown; Outer Creeping leaf: rose with small leaves. Plant ComparisonLeaf color habit ‘SAKCOL018’ Closest to RHS 59C (Red-Purple) Semi- withblotches closest to RHS creeping 200A (Black) with slight RHS 147A(Green) increasing towards margin, and RHS 143A (Yellow-Green) at leafmargin.

‘SAKCOL018’ is most similar to the commercial variety ‘Burgundy WeddingTrain’, also known as ‘Kakegawa CE10’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,003);however, there are differences as listed in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety ‘Kakegawa Characteristic‘SAKCOL018’ CE10’ Leaf color, Closest to RHS 59C (Red-Purple)Multi-color; base upper surface with blotches closest to RHS 200A is RHS77A (Black) with slight RHS 147A (purple); edge is (Green) increasingtowards margin, RHS 143B and RHS 143A (Yellow-Green) at (green). leafmargin. Leaf color, Closest to RHS 147B (Yellow-Green) Base is RHS 59Alower surface with blotches of 59A (Red-Purple) (red-purple); towardsmid vein with most mature edge is RHS foliage having a blotch closest to139C (green) RHS 27A (Orange) at base Plant growth Compact,Semi-creeping Semi-creeping habit

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of coleus plant named‘SAKCOL018’ as illustrated and described herein.